Lost Letters of Perganum
The Lost Letters of Pergamum
Professor Bruce W. Longenecker’s novel, The Lost Letters of Pergamum, describes a collection of fictional letters being exchanged between two fictional characters known as Antipas and Luke. Antipas is a benefactor from Rome, and Luke is a physician and author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Luke is also the main person who Antipas goes to throughout the novel for knowledge and answers to his many questions. The story is very well written and gives the reader an idea of what the first century Church was like. The letters also illustrate a vivid picture of Christ’s life and the effects his radical lifestyle had on the ancient culture. Antipas, a self-established benefactor, resides from the cities of Tyre and Caesarea in Rome and is a worshipper of Jupiter and Calpurnius. Calpurnius, a nobleman from the city of Ephesus, went away when he suddenly lost his firstborn child. Due to his absence, Antipas became quickly acquainted with Luke, whom was very wise and passionate about his beliefs in Jesus Christ. After Antipas and Luke began writing to each other for a while, their conversations started to lean more towards the topic of spiritual matters and specifically towards Luke’s decision to follow Jesus Christ and his works on Christ’s life. After much historical and spiritual discussion, the two moved to the topic of the gladiatorial events, in which people were slaughtered in front of hundreds of other people for entertainment. Antipas was beginning to question the events and the morality of it all. As the two grew deeper into their spiritual conversation and Luke shared more of his views of Christ, Antipas grew very curious. He began reading a narrative by Luke about Jesus Christ, and told Luke his thoughts and opinions about his work. Antipas’ curiosity soon led him to join a fellowship of Christians in his town led by a man named Antonius. He met with the group regularly and saw what a huge effect Christ had on their
Professor Bruce W. Longenecker’s novel, The Lost Letters of Pergamum, describes a collection of fictional letters being exchanged between two fictional characters known as Antipas and Luke. Antipas is a benefactor from Rome, and Luke is a physician and author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Luke is also the main person who Antipas goes to throughout the novel for knowledge and answers to his many questions. The story is very well written and gives the reader an idea of what the first century Church was like. The letters also illustrate a vivid picture of Christ’s life and the effects his radical lifestyle had on the ancient culture. Antipas, a self-established benefactor, resides from the cities of Tyre and Caesarea in Rome and is a worshipper of Jupiter and Calpurnius. Calpurnius, a nobleman from the city of Ephesus, went away when he suddenly lost his firstborn child. Due to his absence, Antipas became quickly acquainted with Luke, whom was very wise and passionate about his beliefs in Jesus Christ. After Antipas and Luke began writing to each other for a while, their conversations started to lean more towards the topic of spiritual matters and specifically towards Luke’s decision to follow Jesus Christ and his works on Christ’s life. After much historical and spiritual discussion, the two moved to the topic of the gladiatorial events, in which people were slaughtered in front of hundreds of other people for entertainment. Antipas was beginning to question the events and the morality of it all. As the two grew deeper into their spiritual conversation and Luke shared more of his views of Christ, Antipas grew very curious. He began reading a narrative by Luke about Jesus Christ, and told Luke his thoughts and opinions about his work. Antipas’ curiosity soon led him to join a fellowship of Christians in his town led by a man named Antonius. He met with the group regularly and saw what a huge effect Christ had on their